How to Change Careers in Your 30s: Steps You Can Take Today

Can You Change Your Career Path in Your 30s?

If you find yourself wanting to leave your current career behind and start a new career at mid-life, you are not alone. 

Based on Pew Research's analysis of 6,627 non-retired employed U.S. adults who said they quit a job in 2021, 45% of those were age 30 and older. And most workers in this study see their new career change as an improvement!

At least half, compared with their last job, say they are now:

• Earning more money (56%)
• Seeing more opportunities for advancement (53%)
• Having an easier time balancing work and family responsibilities (53%)
• Enjoying more flexibility to choose when they put in their work hours (50%)

You can see from the study that many workers now look for work-life balance when making a career shift. If your current job requires working in an office for a set amount of hours at set times each day, odds are you can do better!

A survey by Microsoft in 2022 shows that 52% of Gen Z and Millennials are likely to consider changing employers this year. Much of this hunting for a new career is ideal in your 30s! You can transition into a career reflecting more of who you are and what's important to you.
As a thirty-something, you know what you enjoy, what you’re passionate about, and how to handle transitions in life. Yet, you're young enough to easily grow in your professional life and shift careers! ‍

Many famous names didn’t find their niche until their thirties, including:

• Martha Stewart: model, then stockbroker, then started a catering business in her 30s
• Jeff Bezos: computer scientist, then founded Amazon as a book-selling business in his 30s
• Arnold Schwarzenegger: bodybuilding, then started acting in his 30s, (then Governor of CA!)
• Cher Wang: Cofounded HTC at age 39
• Harrison Ford: carpenter, then started acting in his 30s (1)

However, you don’t have to aim for wealth or fame to make a career change in your 30s. You just need to get started changing your career path. 

Doing a little bit each day adds up to HUGE benefits later! Whether you make a career change at 30 or 38, you can begin by looking at where you are now.

Related: The ultimate step-by-step guide to figuring out how to change careers successfully

Your Current Career Can Guide Your New Career Path

If you've been in your field 5-15 years, you may consider whether it's your job or the career field that bothers you. 

Do a deep dive into what discourages you at your job. Could another workplace with a similar job fulfill your need for changing careers?

Lateral Career Path Can Make Sense

Consider a lateral move if your current job brings up these issues in a self-assessment:

• Hours: Do you need flex time? Would you work better from home? Need more hours to cover your expenses?
• People: Is your boss nit-picky when you need independence? Is there another difficulty that you might work through with human resources?
• Industry culture: Gossipy back-biting behavior that no one checks? A lack of encouragement or job reviews?
• Stifling Atmosphere: Doesn't support hard work or educational opportunities and help you rise through the ranks? Doesn't promote from within?
• Lack of Organization: Do you wonder what you should be doing at work? Is it like "The Office," where everyone pretends to understand what is going on?

For a lateral move in the same field, check out GlassDoor for employee reviews and job descriptions from companies that might interest you. 

Transferring laterally makes for an easier job search process and can help you avoid an entry-level position. 

Finding a new job as a job seeker in the same industry can move quickly! Lateral moves can be perfect for thirty-somethings who need a new challenge or a change in their work atmosphere. 

Read also: 10 Biggest Mistakes Career Changers Make

Change Your Career Field

If you answer yes to these questions, it may be time for a total career jump!

• Do you find yourself exhausted beyond your limits every single day after work?
• Do you feel a pit of dread in your stomach every time you think about the work you do?
• Does the actual field you work in seem boring, tedious, or outright offensive to your sense of what's important in life?
• Is there no enjoyable lateral position in your same field? You can talk to human resources at your company if you're wondering what else they offer. Or search the jobs open at your company and see if one strikes you as potentially exciting.
• Do you have another field that you really want to be involved in? Perhaps you already do something in this field as a hobby or discuss this work with friends constantly.

If you're not sure of the field you want, check out our offerings at Unmudl! 

We connect learners, educators, and employers together for a Skills to Jobs™ experience! Get support and discover new opportunities with our online resources!

Or scroll down to our BONUS CONTENT and click on courses of study, certificates, and jobs that are hot now!

Consider Your Soft Skills

If you're determined to change career paths altogether, take a good look at the skills you already learned during your professional experience thus far. Many of your current skills already relate to the industry you want to work in.

A hiring manager, managing director, or recruiter often looks for employees with "soft skills." Because many technical positions are now automated, many jobs require the "quick thinking on your feet" skills that you probably already learned in your previous career!

In addition, as a thirty-something, you likely possess greater social and life skills than individuals graduating from college now or even in their mid-twenties. 

Baby boomers and Gen X may be lacking in some of the techy skills that are your birthright. And yet, you did not grow up chained to your phone or game device like most Gen Zers. As an older millennial, it's likely you have at least some of the skill sets in demand right now!

In a Wall Street Journal survey of over 900 executives, "92% reported that soft skills, including communication, curiosity, and critical thinking are as important as technical skills. However, 89% of those same executives reported they have a very difficult or somewhat difficult time finding hires with soft skills."

Life skills are essential for job seekers! Getting and keeping a new job includes working on your "work ethic, your attitude, your communication skills, your emotional intelligence and a whole host of other personal attributes. Knowing how to get along with people – and displaying a positive attitude – are crucial for success." (2)

If you need help considering your soft skills, ask your current employer or family members for an evaluation. Let them know you want to grow and learn! Also, you may consider a career coach or career services to learn more soft skills. 

Job opportunities abound for job seekers with these skills. You may never need to worry about a pay cut when transitioning jobs if you have the "people skills" that companies look for! 

Your 30s are a good time to grow and expand your abilities, and with a bit of effort, you can up your game for social and communication skills and win over the stodgiest of hiring managers!

Transferable Skills Matter in Career Change in Your 30s

Now is the time to brainstorm a list of your skills. You'll need to know what you're naturally good at before starting your job search. These skills you've acquired in your current field or previous career will also be useful in a new one. 

Make a list of your transferable skills and refer to it when you update your resume and LinkedIn profile.

If you're not sure where to start, think about or talk about the following with your career coach:

• How do people describe you? (Are you a "people person" or more analytical?)
• What are some projects you've led at work?
• What do you do better than most people you know?
• Do you like to stay organized throughout your day?
• Do you work well without constant supervision?
• How do you spend your free time? (Do you like to be active, or do you prefer more sedentary activities?)

Some examples of transferable skills include:

• Communication
• Leadership
• Organization
• Problem-solving
• Time management
• Active listening
• Research abilities
• Analytical skills
• Project management
• Client relations
• Writing skills
• Public speaking
• Creativity

When you start applying for a full-time job in your new career field, you'll need to rewrite your resume to include your transferable and soft skills. Hiring managers may ask about when you used these skills in real life for your interviews. 

Also, consider references who can vouch for your character, work ethic, personality, and communication skills. In your 30’s, you likely have developed many social contacts you can reach out to for good references! 

Don’t be afraid to contact those you’ve known in the past either. Most people who liked working with you will feel honored to act as a reference, no matter when it was! 

While skills acquired in your 30s may be the freshest, don't be afraid to tap back into older skills that you learned when you first started out in your 20s.